Man's attempts to control the weather and improve the climate over vast territories date back to ancient times. This desire was reflected in folklore, the Bible and folk legends, ritual rain dances'' and historic documents. Scientists, too, contributed their efforts to finding the causes of climatic changes. Various projects for the improvement of climate were advanced time and again. The problem was approached in different ways. It was suggested, for example, to destroy the ice in the Arctic Ocean and thus save many countries in the moderate and northern latitudes from the ill effects of Arctic cold. Today the problem is acquiring practical importance. Having objectively analysed paleogeographic data, the author of this book, Soviet engineer P. Borisov, challenges the idea that the conservatism and inertia of climate cannot be overridden. He claims that the reconversion of climate is one of the most important international and social problems. P. Borisov is confident that there is a great future in store for his project which envisages a complex of hydrotechnical installations to create a direct flow of Atlantic waters through the Arctic Ocean, which could thus prevent the formation of the ice cover in the Arctic Basin.

Foreword 7
The Troubles of Our Climate 11

Climates in the Distant Past 20 

Climates of the Recent Past 28

Climates of the Closest Past 32

Modern Warming of the Arctic 43

Causes of the Changes in Climate 49

The Laws of Climatic Change 61 

World Ocean, Sea Currents and Their Role in Forming the Climate 67 

Improvement of Global and Regional Climatic Conditions. Evolution of Ideas 78 

Is the Polar Gulf Stream Possible? 88 

A Gulf Stream in the Arctic Basin 111 

A Gulf Stream in the Pacific Ocean 119 

First Stages of Climatic Amelioration 137 

Practical Implementation Problems 150 

Further Prospects of Climatic Amelioration 161 

Conclusion 169

Literature 173